Sundial



NOV. 18, 1930. lG ANClRA 1,782,114'

SUN DIAL Filed Nov. 22, 1927 p Patented Nov. 18, 1930 UNITED ls'rixl'issGONZALO ANCIRA, or HOUSTON, TEXAS srJND-IAL Application inea November22,' 1927. serial No. 235,696.

This invention relates to sun dials.v`

An important object of the invention is to provide a small novel form ofsun dial adapted to be carried in the pocket of the user.

A further object is to provide such a device having a portionA adaptedto indicate the time of day and a relatively movable portion adapted tobe alined with the sun to cause the first named portion to indicate thetime.

A further object is to provide a body in- A4cluding a dial and having aportion preferably in the form of a radial slot adapted to be alinedwith the sun, and a pointer pivoted centrally of the body and adapted toswing over the dial to indicate the time.

A further object is to provide a device of the'character referred towhich may be corrected to compensate for the differences betweenstandard and daylight saving time and meridian time;

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the drawings I have shown several embodiments of the invention. Inthis showing,

Figure 1 is a face view, Figure 2 ris aperspective view, Figure 3 is asection on line 3-3 of Figure 1, and,

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a modified form of the device.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the body of thedevice which is preferably thin and circular in form. Itis preferredthat the body be made relatively small so that it may be carried inthepocket of the user. The bodyv forms a dial and is provided on one facewith a scale 11 arranged concentric with the body and provided withdivision lines 12 indicating the hours of the day. Suitable indicia 18are arranged adjacent each of the hour lines. The spacesbetween thelines 12 maybe calibrated vas at 14 to indicate the quarter hours. Thedevice of course, is adapted for use during the daylight hours, and theindicia v13 preferably are employed to indicate the hours between 6 a.In. and 6 p. 1n. as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The body of the `device ismovable to ardial` facing toward him, that is,toward the terminates in a circular opening 17.

\ A screw 18 is threaded in a central opening 19 formed in the body'ofthe device and is adapted to pivotally support a pointer 20. It will beapparent that since the scale 11.r is concentric to the body of thedevice, the pointer 2O is adapted to swing therearound to indicate thehours of the day.

In Figure 4 of the drawing I have illustrated a slightly modified formof the device which is adapted to compensate for the variations instandard and daylight saving time, and meridian time. As is well known,there is usually a diiference of one hour between standardand daylightsaving time, and .each standard time` zone variesjin different portionsthereof from the true Vmeridian time. To compensate for thesedifferences, the device may `beprovided with a dial 21 formed separatefrom the body of the device and adapted to pivot about/the pin 18. Thedial 21 may be provided at its lower edge with'an extension 22 having valaterally 'extending portion 23 arranged adjacent the edge of the' body.A set screw 24 passes through the lateral projection and engages theedge of the body 10.

y The operation of the device is as follows:

The body 10is`held in the hand of the uservand is turned until the slot15'is in alinement with the sun andthe rayslthereofilluminate the bottomof the circular opening 17. It will be apparent that in using the devicethe operator should vface south with the north. With the slot 15 turnedto the posi- `tion indicated, the pointer 2O will indicate y the time ofday. For instance, if the dial is rotated vuntil the slot 15 occupiesthe dotted line position shown at theleft side of Figure 1, the finger20 would indicate the time as being about 8 oclock in the morning.Similarly with the slot k15 in the other dotted line position, thepointer 20V will indicate the DI time as being approximately 3 oclock inthe afternoon. It `Will be apparent that the device is extremely simpleand is attractive as a novelty, and it readily may be carried in thepocket of the user.

The operation of the form of the device shown in Figure 4 is the same asthat previously described. It Will be apparent, hovvever, that the dialand the slot are adapted to be moved relative to each other tocompensate for differences between meridian time, and standard anddaylight saving time. For instance, With the parts in the position shownin Figure 4, the device may be corrected for daylight saving time byloosening the screvv 24 and rotating the dial 21 until the numeral 2registers with the point of the indicator. Similar corrections Vmay bemade for difierent parts of a given standardftime zone.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shownand described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

I claim: l Y

l. A device of the character described comi prising a disk, and apointer pivotally connected to said disk, said disk being provided withan arcuate scale concentric With the pivot point of said pointer, saiddisk being further provided With a slot extending' radially of the pivotof the pointer and adapted to be alined with the sun. Y

2. A device of the character described comprising a disk, a pointerpivotally connected at one end to said disk centrally thereof, said diskbeing provided over one semi-circle With an arcuate scale concentricwith the pivot of said pointer, the opposite semi-circle of said diskbeing provided With a straight radial slot adapted to be alined With thesun.

8. A device of the character described comprising a disk, means bearinga scale pivotally connected to said disk, means for secur-V ing saidscale against movement With respect to said disk, and a pointerpivotally connectedadjacent said scale concentric with the pivotthereof, said disk being provided With a slot extending radially of thepivot point Y of scale and pointer and adapted to be alined i with thesun. Y Y* In testimonywvhereof I aiiix my signature.

GONZALO ANCIRA.

